City of Angels
by Katzenaugen
Summary: [Based on the movie City of Angels] Tifa is a surgeon, Cloud an Angel. Doing his everydayduty, Cloud stumbles across the surgeon Lockheart.
1. Duties

**City of Angels**

**Duties**

_Chapter 1_

Duties. Everybody has duties. My duty for example is to safely guide dying people from their earthly life to the other side of existance. For anyone it would be depressing, but as an angel, you don't have an emotions. You just do your job and protect people. Obviously noone can see us.

When me and my fellows are not tied to our duties we linger in libraries or the beah or any place we like.

One day I was supposed to wait for Dr. Lockheart's patient to die. An operation on the open-heart. Poor guy. I knew it all before already, he would die. He though, was confident he might survive even though he knew there was a great risk.

---

**(Tifa POV)**

I hadn' tbeen a doctor for long. This was my thrid operation on the heart. I was a little nervous, like before every operation. Entering my patient's room I greeted him warmly. "Good Morning Mr. Park. Are we feeling ok?"

The man nodded at me. He was pale and looked sick. "Don't worry, it will be alright." I gave him another smile and prepared his bed, ready to bring it into the upper floor where the operation rooms were situated.

I had been told that smiling at your patients makes them feel comfortable. Even if I wouldn't feel like smiling, I just smiled, smiled to make them feel better. I even picked up the stupid habit of standing up, walking past my bed to the mirror that was situated above a little chest with drawers and tell myself that I look great and that my day would be great and I would give someone hope again.

I wasn't sure wheter it helped, but since I was living alone I could give it a try without embarassing myself.

Reaching the operation room, I let Mr. Park be brought inside and washed myself clean. How would it feel to be lying on this table waiting for someone to cut you open and roam around inside you? I guess I wouldn't find this feeling all that nice, but then again, you are under anesthetic.

Pushing the door open with one foot I waited for the nurse to help me but this mint-green coat on I despised so much. I felt like wearing a huge bib. But it was necessary.

A little table with the necessary utensils was brought to my right and I began my work.

**(Tifa POV End)**

---

**(Coud POV)**

I stood behind the big glass window and watched the operation. I felt pity for the surgeon. She had no idea that she was wasting sweat and neres on this man that was destined to die either way. But I did what I was always doing, I waited. Waited for fate to hit and for me to guide another body from the living to the dead. That's what I had done for centuries already and I would continue to do. I was an Angel after all. Many do not believe in us, but hey, I don't care.

There it was, the familiar sound of the machines beeping. There was trouble. I glanced at the clock. 20 minutes had passed. I waited patiently.

**(Cloud POV End)**

---

**(Tifa POV)**

He was about to die. I tried my hardest to keep him alive, tried anything I could, but after another 20 minutes he was as good as dead. Nodding at the surgeon on the opposite side of the table, he switched the machines off. "Time of death, 22:35" I told the nurse and strode my gloves off. Throwing my coat along with these bloody gloves to the floor I rushed out of the room. The first patient I lost. My very first. That's the point where you wonder wheter this job is the right for you. I was aware of the fact that you lose patients every now and then, but I stung you somewhere in your heart. How should I tell the family? I was afraid I would burst out in tears. Rushing out of the room and heading right for the elevator to bring me into the doctor's lounge I glanced back at the room I had stepped out of just now. The room where a dead man was lying in, my patient.

**(Tifa POV End)**

---

**(Cloud POV)**

I noticed she was looking at me. I smiled at her until I realized it was ridiculous. She couldn't see me after all. I had powers, powers I barely used though. Fate was something I was not allowed to change, though I was tempted to every once in a while. Same went for the Dr. Lockhart. I felt her broken heart. Though I was not supposed to have emotions, like anger, sadness and all these, I felt something. Believing it was my imagination I strode past her. I would visit her later on today, to see wheter she was ok.

As for now I had someone else to guide. Hopspital is where it's most busy. Most of my fellows lingered around here. Every here and there they would stand waiting just as patiently as he did. Though, Angel's do not have wings as in these fairy-tales. They are just invisible to the human eye and without senses. We do not feel, do not taste, do not have emotions. I can not feel the somberness of my duties. I just do them.

**(Cloud POV End)**

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Short but yeah, randomly popped into my mind when I last saw this movie "City of Angels." Once again many POV's. ;) It will probably not be exaclty like the movie if I do continue, but close to it.


	2. Visible

**Visible**

_Chapter 2_

**(Tifa POV)**

Why did you come and get him? I don't believe in Angels or that sort of stuff, but I do believe that this man still had to live. I thudded onto my couch and strode my sweatshirt off. My day had been exhausting enough. I stared at my hands, the hands that had been inside a man's body just about two hours ago. Did I try everything I could to save him? I held his heart iin my hands as he died.

**(Tifa POV End)**

Cloud had sat right across the table, watching her brush her bangs out of her face. Tears started to stream down her face. She sat up again and wiped them away. Her hands rested in her lap as she stared right through him.

**(Cloud POV)**

I eyes her closely and took in every of her movements. Her beautiful eyes fixed me. I stared right back at her. I even cracked a little smile, but she couldn't see. She wouldn't even know I was there. I raised my hand to caress her cheek with the back of my hand. It slid down her cheek just a centimeter away. I couldn't touch her and she wouldn't feel me. It was somewhat frustrating. Seeing her cry and there was nothing I could do. I got to my feet again and watched for another minute. She had thudded back onto the couch and was now lying on her stomach. Her face was burried into a cushion. I pretended to stroke her back as I passed by. I shut the window so she wouldn't catch a cold and watched her doze off.

---

I entered a little corner shop. My friend Zack and I strode through shelves. Passing by the juices I asked him. "Is it possible to get visible to the ordinary human?" He chuckeled at me and turned to the left. I followed him, still wearing my curious look. Anxiously I awaited his answer. "Yes, it is." he retorted and tilted his head at me.

"Then how do I do it?" I tried my hardest to keep abreast with him. "You just wish for it." he chuckeled at me again. "But Man, we weren't human to begin with. Why would you want a human to see you now? There's never a need to."

"Did you ever try?"

"No, as said. it's unnecessary."

The shop's door bursted open. A man with a gun stormed inside and yelled for everyone to lie on the floor. Zack and I stayed calm. Striding over to the threshold I put my hands onto the man handing over the money to the intruder. _'I don't want to die yet. Sarah.'_ I could read his thoughts. Thoughts of fear. Zack watched me from further away. As the intruder rushed outside with a bag of money, he nodded at me. "Let's go to the beach. The sun will rise soon."

"I wont come with you." I retorted. "I've got something to do." My friend raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that so?" he said in a surprised yet gibing tone.

**(Cloud POV End)**

**(Tifa POV)**

I sat in the laboratory reading a few books. Books about operations on the open heart and stuff like that. It was close to 11 pm and my eyes felt heavy. Shutting each of the books I had spread on that little black desk I switched the table lamp off so the room was scarcely lit. Rubbing my neck I stood up and switched off the last light source in this room.

I was alone in the corridor. My footsteps echoed from the stone walls as I made my way to the main entrance where I had parked my bike. A I turned around the corner my eyes fell onto a tall man dressed in black standing in the middle of the corridor. "Excuse me Sir, the visiting hours are over." He spun around and faced me. Something about his curious look caused a shiver to run down my spine. "Waiting hours? What are they for?" He didn't say it gibing, but curious, as though he had never really heard about them before. I backed away a little and frowned. "Whats's your name?" I asked politely.

"Cloud." he retorted.

"I see." I felt a little uncomfortable. It was dark outside, the corridor was empty and this man, by all means, did not appear to be sane.

"You'd better leave the hopsital and come back tomorrow again." I advised him and walked away into the direction I had come from. When I had walked away a good few meters I turned around again to see wheter he had followed my advise but I couldn't see him anymore. _'You were fast.'_

**(Tifa POV End)**

---

**(Cloud POV)**

I went inside the room and watched the man sleep. I picked up the thing that had everything about his health written on it. "Pete Warrick." I read. I lingered in the room for some more. He was alone in this room, the bed to his left was empty.

"Even though I can't see you, I know you are here." the man spoke. I was about to leave.

I did not say anything, hoping he would just talk while sleeping. "I know _what_ you are." he spoke again. He chuckeled and sat up straight.

I took a seat on the chair his wife had been sitting on earlier. "How come?"

"Oh, Haha." he laughed. "Treat me for dinner and I'll let you know." He winked and crawled out of his bed. I agreed. For somebody having felt my presence, he didn't look that smart.

"Bring me some of your french toast." The man ordered. His face was a little pale, his hair short and messy and the moustache made him look somewhat facetious. I watched him eat as greedy as I had never seen someone eat. "You know man, I used to be one of you."

My neck grew longer. "Are you serious?"

"Yes I am." he said with his mouth full of food. "But you know." he screwed up his face "I wanted to become human."

"And how do I become human?"

"You just fall. You think of it as hard as you can and then." he paused. "you fall." He said it as though there was no big deal to it, but falling? What do I have to fall down from?

"What is it like to be human?" I asked curiously. My hands rested on the table as I eyed him closely, hoping I would maybe find something about him that implied he was a real human.

"Well first of all, you wake up and your whole body hurts and you are hungrier than ever. Pain is something that makes you human it seems."

"How do things taste?"

"Everything tastes different. But that's not something I could explain to you very well."

"Try." I said curiously, a grin forming on my lips. "I've read part of a book once and this man knew how to describe, so must you!" I pressed further.

"Well let's take this toast for example. It tastes." he munched on it a few times, screwing up his face again. "A little spicey, sandy even, since the bread is toasted. Juicy." he closed his eyes for a second. "Oh give me an easier task." he frowned. "I just enjoy the fact I can eat. I don't question it. As a human, it's vital."

Taking his explanation as it was I waited for him to finish eating.

"Say, do you guys still gather at the beach?"

I nodded.

"Take me there."

---

"Oh it's still as beautiful as it used to be." The sun was about to set and we heard this music again, the mousic we would always hear whenever the sun rose or vanished. I turned my head around to look at my friend Zack as I noticed that Mr. Warrick had put off all his clothes. Throwing his undies into the sand I watched him run straight into the water. I jumped after him.

"Oh I love the feeling of water on my naked skin." he exclaimed.

"I wouldn't know." I shook my head at him. I frowned a little at the man floating in the sea besides me. What would water feel like?

"I'd better bring you back again." I said.

---

I came back to the library after making sure Pete was back in his room.

"She looked at me." I worshipped. Turing my head around to look at Zack, I saw he was smiling at me. though his smile wasn't like a happy smile, rather one that told me 'Boy, you fell in love.'

We were lingering in the library again, where we would spend our time mostly next to the beach.

I strode through the shelves watching people and reading their mind. 'Oh sounds interesting.' I heard a woman thumbing through a novel. 'I should hurry up, I still need do buy some milk.' I heard a man to my left. He was looking at his watch nervously before putting the book back where he had gotten it from and fetched his coat.

"Oh hello." I heard someone say behind me. Spinning around my gaze fell upon the very same surgeon I had met a couple of time earlier. "Dr. Lockheart.'

-----

Well I hope you guys liked it. :) I recently saw the movie again (Yes it's airing amazingly often here), but I decided to change the whole story a little, or else it would be boring, right? Besides, I'll add a happy end in my story I guess. Who would want a sad one anyways.


	3. Angels

**Angels**

_Chapter 3_

„What are you doing in a place like this?" she asked me curiously.

"I am always here. I-" I hesitated. "I live here."

She laughed at me but collected herself immediately. "Yes of course, you live in a library." she gibed.

"I read the book you are holding already." My eyes had fallen upon a book called. "Velvet Desire."

"Oh really? Is it good?"

"Yes it is. I like the way he describes tastes, scents, feelings." I explained to her. Feeling piercing eyes in my neck I realized that all my fellows were surrouding me, looking at me from everywhere.

"Might you want to go somewhere else? A library isn't the best place to talk, is it?" I suggested, hoping she would agree. I didn't want them to look at me like this, as though I was prey, or doing something forbidden. Just like a wolf looking at his prey.

(Cloud POV End)

---

(Tifa POV)

His innocent appearance made me giggle. He was behaving as though he was still a boy. Unfamiliar with the big world out there.

"Let's go into the laboratory. I want to show you something." Feeling he might find it interesting we headed for the big glass door.

---

After a few minute walk we arrived there. I locked the laboratory open and waited for him to walk inside.

"A lot of glass here." he said, eyeing various pieces closely.

"Yes, that's what you need in a laboratory. Come here, I want to show you something."

I dripped a bit of my blood under the miscroscope and looked through. "That's me, Cells. Look."

Gently I pushed him closer to the microscope. He looked through. "It's bright." he hesitated.

"So this is you? Cells?"

"Yes, I am a bunch of Cells and other stuff." I smiled at him. How come you didn't know, Cloud?

My pager beeped. "Sorry, I need to hurry to a patient, I'll be back in a second."

Rushing out of the laboratory I stopped for a second. "Don't go away, yes?"

I ran down the corridor as fast as possible. Around the corner and into the room I was ordered to. "What's the matter?"

"It's too late." a nurse approached me, putting away a pair of blood-drenched bandages.

So I lost another patient. Damnit, this week is just horrible. I felt my heart sank again, but this time it wasn't as bad, I had grown stronger.

I turned around on my heels to rush back to the laboratory, just to find it empty. He was gone. "Cloud!"

(Tifa POV End)

---

(Cloud POV)

Slowly I strode down the streets. What would it be like, to _fall_, to become human?

I turned around the corner. I felt like paying a visit to the people in the little corner shop again.

Just as I turned around I saw her again. Dr. Lockheart. In the arms of a brunette and tall man.

I was invisible so I could approach them. I stood right behind the couple, his arm was wrapped around her waist. What would it be like to feel my arm there?

They were looking at rings and watches. She was laughing and beaming – she seemed happy. I closed my eyes listening to her thoughts. Though, considering I feel a certain something drawing me to her everytime, I wanted to know what she was thinking right now. Did she love this guy?

'This watch is way too expensive. Where might Cloud have gone to?'

Thinking about me? I decided to leave them alone. I would visit her later on again.

(Cloud POV End)

---

"Jack, are you leaving already?" Tifa asked, as her partner put on his jacket.

"Yes sorry, business is calling."

He pressed a quick kiss onto her lips and left.

Cloud stood behind her for a while, hovering his hand over hers. He would go round the corner and come back in his visible form. He didn't want her to be alone.

"Dr. Lockheart." he exclaimed and waved. "Still out this late?"

"Y-Yes?" she stammered.

"Bad weather might come, you'd better head home." he said looking at the sky that indeed implied bad weather.

"You are right." she frowned. "Hey, care keeping me company? I could make us some tea."

Cloud nodded approvingly. "I would like to."

---

Her little appartement hadn't changed at all. Still as messy as ever.

"I will make some tea immediately. Mind if I chop some vegetables for dinner next to it? You could have dinner with me today since I am alone." she suggested with a smile on her face. Cloud couldn't say no. "I would love to."

Tifa handed him the carrots and asked him to chop them into little pieces while she would prepare the rest. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes to catch a glimpse on his work to see wheter he chopped them in the right size, she saw how he cut himself. Frozen from shock she dropped her knife. He didn't bleed. It went through his flesh like nothing. Her eyes widened as she fetched her knife and cut right through his hand. She felt it slice, she heard the nasty noise of a knife cutting through flesh, but he didn't bleed. Nothing.

"What- what's that?"

Quickly he wrapped a cloth around his hand pretending that it bled. "That hurt."

"No it didn't!" she exclaimed. "I cut you, damnit I cut you! I felt how the blade went through your flesh but you aren't bleeding!" she stammered. Tearing the cloth away she seized his hand. "Unharmed." she whispered.

"Who the hell are you!" she yelled at him and slapped him with the cloth. Cloud still holding the knife in shock put it away.

"I-" he hesitated. "I am an Angel."

"Yes of course and I am the Queen." she gibed. "Quit messing with me!"

"How else would you explain yourself then that I am unharmed, even though you cut me?" he asked softly, hoping she would understand.

"I don't believe in Angels." she hissed and turned around.

"Then you'd better start. Your patient, the one that died. He was destined to die, there was nothing you could have done. I came to get him. That's my job. Leading the living to the dead when their time has come. I believe that doctors are the only ones to trick fate."

"Are you on some kind of drugs?" she yelled again, piercing him with her eyes.

"I am not. For me being unable to feel, to taste." he hesitated. "to be human."

"You say, if I gave you something to drink or to eat, you wouldn't taste it?" she stammered again, wiping a few hairstrands out of her face.

"No I wouldn't." he retorted placidly. His hand reached for hers and held it as they stood in the kitchen. He was calm and collected, while she was upset.

-------

Quiet short I know, but I was busy lately and somewhat forgot to update and I finished what I had already started, Though all my ideas are somewhat sucked away. I can't quiet seem to write the chapters this smoothly anymore. But I'll try to keep updating. ;)

I hope anyways, that you liked this chapter, regardingless of it's length and all. Please review.


	4. Human

**Human**

_Chapter 4_

(Cloud POV)

I had left Tifa's apartment again. Her startled look was still carved into my memory. I remembered Pete's words again. I wanted to become human. Wanted to feel pain and taste. I wanted to have emotions, I wanted to feel how it's like to get hurt and how it's like to be happy.

Again we gathered at the beach. "Zack, would you want to become human?"

"I have told you already, I am fine the way I am." he retorted placidly staring off into the distance. "But, didn't you ever wonder how it's like to feel or to taste?" I stared at my hands. I turned around to look at him, he didn't look at me. "What I don't know, I can't miss. And neither do I long for these things."

"But I, I want to become human!" I exclaimed. "I really want to."

"It's because of this woman, right?" he finally looked at me from the corner of his eyes. He smirked a little.

"And even if…" – "Uhuh. It is. And if you really want to, do so. I hope that so-called love wont destroy you in the end. After all." he chuckled. "We've guided a lot of broken men and women to the other side, haven't we? I wouldn't want my friend to become a soul like this."

"That wont happen."

---

Pain struck through me. Everything hurt and burnt. I felt something aching through me like a shot. I felt dizzy. Wearily I opened my eyes. I saw a tree. I was lying on the pavement it seems. I felt something cold. The surface wasn't smooth. It was rocky and I felt little stones leaving imprints in my palms as I got up. Was that what it was like to feel? My head ached, it was like somebody hammering inside, something that wanted to get outside. Everything was sore and felt numb. Was that the kind of pain people went through before they died? I took a look around and suddenly I saw a little restaurant. Food it came to me. I wanted to taste food. Rushing over the street a car nearly knocked me over. I had completely forgotten people could see me now. Overjoyed I jumped around in front of a shop window, trying to get the owners attention. I was happy. Happy? Was it that? Was it this feeling that made you all giddy? It really felt like butterflies. Or was that just the thought of her? Her silky hair. I wanted to touch it so badly.

I went into the restaurant and sat down. Everything sounded good, I had no idea what to choose. I took a look around to see what everyone else was eating. "What do you want, Sir?" I was asked. Pondering on it for a moment I pointed or something that was brownish and there was some dark sauce and what I had heard to be vegetables. "Bring what that man over there is eating."

---

Indeed, food was great. Now if food was already that great, what would touching another human being be like? It's said to be better.

I rushed to Tifa's apartment. Overjoyed I knocked onto the door. Somebody who didn't look like Tifa at all opened. "Euhm sorry, is Tifa Lockheart living here?" I asked but the woman shook her head. "She left. All I heard from the neighbours was that there had been trouble with the boyfriend and they went separate ways. Sorry my dear, can't help you there." And the door went shut again. On one hand I was happy that there was one obstacle less, but I still had to find Tifa.

I rushed to the hospital. "Dr. House, can I talk to you for a moment." A young man in his mid thirties looked at me confused. "Do I happen to know you? Were you one of my patients?" Oh, I forgot. He didn't know me after all. "Ye-Yes I was." I assured him. "I was just wondering where Dr. Lockheart is."

"Oh. Well she is on vacation at the moment." – "Any idea where she might have gone?"

"Just why would you want to know that?" he asked me raising an eyebrow. He had gotten suspicious. "I…" I didn't know what to say. "Well I guess it doesn't matter. And no I don't know. Sorry." he said before walking off to his right.

I was left clueless. I guess I had to search then. "Oh, wait Mr…whatever. I think she mentioned something about going to the mountains, that's all I know."

---

It rained heavily. Was it the same as being in the sea? I was shivering and cold and my skin felt funny. It was tickling a little. Sometimes I would shiver again. I was amazed by my own body.

I had finally gotten a clue as to where she could be. And I did find her. There was only one little house up in the mountain. I knocked.

"Cloud." Yes it was her. "Tifa. I had to find you."

(Cloud POV End)

(Tifa POV)

I couldn't believe my eyes. After everything that had happened he had truly come back. Angels really are good beings. But that was the point where I suddenly noticed. "You…" He was not an angel anymore. In the cold air, I saw his breath coming from his mouth, illuminating me to the transformation he had made. "You are human." I stammered. He nodded at me and a wide smile spread across his face. "Come inside." I said hastily. "It's cold outside and you are soaked."

It was them that emotions had overcome me. An angel had come human for me.

(Tifa POV End)

---

(Cloud POV)

I stripped her shirt off. Touched her bare warm skin. I felt hot as though every single raindrop was evaporating from my skin. Everything was rushing inside me. My heart was working hard. I longed for her, I wanted to taste her. I licked her skin around her neck as she had done before. She tasted salty from sweating. I took in every scent, every taste. For me they felt so unique. I wanted more of her. The fire was burning next to us. Hot, red fire. The only symbol that could have expressed the passion we were sharing. I had heard about sex, but never what it was like. Why could any human being think so low of sex and treat it as nothing special? To me, it would have been something I would die for. Now I could after all.

---

"Ahhh!" I yelled as the hot water poured down on me."

"Watch out, it's hot." Tifa warned me a little too late. "Listen, I'll go get some things from the small store further down near the city. I'll be back in about 20 minutes." she said before I heard the door slam shut. I had gotten used to feeling of the burning water. It felt like yesterday.

I dried my skin and drank some apple juice. It was sour.

---

(Cloud POV End)

Tifa drove down the road. Whistling her favourite song. On her way back, she lifts her hands off the handle bars, looks up and the sky, and enjoys the gentle ride down the hill. However, she does not realize the logging truck pulling out of a road ahead. The insides of the shopping bag were rolling down the street. As Cloud came to the scene she was lying face down and a puddle of blood had formed. "No…No, don't do this to me." he yelled pressing her tightly to his chest.

An angel appeared by her side. It was Zack. "Shhht." Zack said. "Don't look at me." Cloud had no idea Zack was there. That his friend had come to take his love away. "Cloud." she pressed through her lips. "If they ask me what my favourite part was." she swallowed. "It was you." She couldn't heave up her hand to touch is cheek anymore. Her body gave in. She had breathed her last single breath.

"I am sorry buddy." Zack whispered. "I will bring her over there safely."

Cloud wiped his hands off. They were full of blood, full of her genes, her information. Just what he had seen in the microscope too the other day.

---

Cloud sat in the living room of the little house up in the mountains. "Alcohol is funny." he told himself. "Makes you feel funny." he murmured holding a glass of wine in his left hand.

"Cloud." Zack appeared by his side. "I am sorry."

"It's a life I am living now. Even I will once die. Though I wonder where there is another reason for me to live." he snarled.

"You will one day die aswell. I will be there by your side when it happens. But tell me, if you had known this was going to happen, would you still have done it?"

Cloud took another sip from the red wine. He stared at the picture he had put on the desk to look at. "I would. I would rather have one instant with her, than an eternity without. Even though this feeling is horrible, I am glad I can feel it. As an angel, I wouldn't have been able to feel a thing, even if my feelings were the same and I came to get her."

In a mere day, Cloud had become a human, experienced physical pain, physical joy and pleasure, the joy of love, and the devastating loss of death.

**The End**

----

So this is where the story ends. Sorry if it might appear a little short and rushed. But I couldn't really stretch it any longer. I do fear that the ending didn't quiet come out as sad as in the movie, but I tried my best. Thanks for all the lovely reviews. I am sorry it took me so long to finish. I somewhat forgot about the story. But most thanks go to those who reviewed to me. Every time I hear any of my stories is liked, it assures me I am not writing for nothing. And that means a lot to me as I love English and do my best at improving. Thanks to all of you.


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